“Verbal Integrity”

I’m sure that all of you who are reading this post would like to be known as a person of integrity.  You want to be someone who is “whole”, who is morally right.  But where does that integrity come from when we are born sinners?  The easy answer is that it comes from the Lord.  The Spirit of God enables us to live a life of integrity, even when no one else is watching.  Let’s read Proverbs 19:1-3:

Better is the poor who walks in his integrity
Than one who is perverse in his lips, and is a fool.  2 Also it is not good for a soul to be without knowledge,
And he sins who hastens with his feet.  3 The foolishness of a man twists his way,
And his heart frets against the Lord.

In verse 1 we are reminded that often, integrity can be damaged by what we say, or that our words reveal our lack of integrity.  Then in verse 2 I think the writer of this proverb begins to speak about actions as he describes someone who “hastens with his feet.”  I believe this phrase refers to ill-advised  actions taken without knowledge.  Then in verse 3 we read that the foolishness of man twists his way, and his heart frets against the Lord.  There is a battle raging in all of us between the ways of the Lord and our ways.  Which “way” will we follow?  The way of integrity leads to following the Lord and seeking His plan and purpose.  The way of integrity involves guarding our words and not running to actions which are sinful and/or harmful.  With God’s help, this can be our way.

In wisdom,
Eric